The Mars Volta - FRANCES THE MUTE (poll the fetal mirage?)

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inspired by all the Zeppelin threads. an amazing album, by far the best thing they ever did. TMV never deserved the tepid press they got - they fucking ROCKED. i included the title track that was supposed to be first but left off due to time constraints.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
L'Via L'Viaquez 8
Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus 3
Cassandra Gemini 3
Frances the Mute 0
The Widow 0
Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore 0


flappy bird, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:00 (ten years ago)

an amazing album, by far the best thing they ever did

lol i really agree

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:14 (ten years ago)

cassandra gemini

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:15 (ten years ago)

first album is the best they ever did and they did deserve the bad press bcuz they ended up sucking so bad.

chaki (kurt schwitterz), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:18 (ten years ago)

i think their albums and song structures got real disorganized after album two but they occasionally put out a great song, for instance the last song on their last record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omdjeVwxsQ8

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:43 (ten years ago)

I remember people trashing this album pretty much the moment in came out, and I never quite understood it. To me, this was just as great as the first album. I'm not as keen on some of the stuff they did after this, though.

You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 18:52 (ten years ago)

Tough poll. Will have to re-listen. It's been a minute.

Wimmels, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:14 (ten years ago)

Was the title-track meant to be first? They start and end the album with the same sequence. Feels like the ring composition was intentional

imago, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:36 (ten years ago)

Yeah, it was supposed to loop; in fact, I think it was originally supposed to be a double CD, with "Cassandra Gemini" making up all of Disc 2. I guess the label wasn't willing to spring for that.

the top man in the language department (誤訳侮辱), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:39 (ten years ago)

Also wondering how my recent ILX career would have panned out with the username 'molochwalker' instead

imago, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:40 (ten years ago)

I mean, I can't not vote for Cygnus here coz of the WILL THEY LEAVE US ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*enter fucking all-time bassline*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE bit

imago, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:42 (ten years ago)

L'Via close behind tho

imago, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:43 (ten years ago)

When I saw them live in '05, Larry Harlow (legendary salsa pianist) came out during "L'Via."

the top man in the language department (誤訳侮辱), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:54 (ten years ago)

i also really love the title track, wish it were on the album proper

and like a stain of bricks goes dancing by your heeeaaaaaaad

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:58 (ten years ago)

I mean, I can't not vote for Cygnus here coz of the WILL THEY LEAVE US ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*enter fucking all-time bassline*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE bit

― imago, Wednesday, August 5, 2015 7:42 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this is one of my favorite moments in music ever - that spiraling, up the down staircase guitar riff is 100% CLASSIC
(btw it's WHO WILL FEED US THE WOOOOOOOOOOOMB)

flappy bird, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 21:50 (ten years ago)

I like the first album better; for me, this will come down to "which song has the least prog bloat."

Tom Violence, Thursday, 6 August 2015 04:08 (ten years ago)

*whispers* it's "the widow"

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Thursday, 6 August 2015 05:01 (ten years ago)

"L'Via L'Viaquez" is their best song.

billstevejim, Thursday, 6 August 2015 05:55 (ten years ago)

The Widow is the most bloated thing here! Although I quite like the second half, it is sheer bloat

imago, Thursday, 6 August 2015 07:30 (ten years ago)

Just relistened: ^ Agreed w/imago on "The Widow." "L'Via" - I can't get behind the salsa breakdowns, I think they're too slow and the energy flags. "Miranda" has more bloat by volume than "The Widow," especially hindered by the first three minutes. And while "Cygnus" is great, I am more impressed by "Cassandra Gemini," which is more than twice as long as any other track yet contains almost no fat-- it builds, releases, builds again, and ends the album in spectacular fashion.

Tom Violence, Saturday, 8 August 2015 21:32 (ten years ago)

"the widow" is a straight up pop song imo, guess i forgot the second half devolves into warbling

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Saturday, 8 August 2015 22:31 (ten years ago)

three weeks pass...

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Friday, 4 September 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Saturday, 5 September 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

two years pass...

god this album is so amazing

flappy bird, Friday, 13 July 2018 06:30 (seven years ago)

I really like the albums that never were-version http://albumsthatneverwere.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-mars-volta-frances-mute-2cd.html

satans favourite son, Friday, 13 July 2018 08:18 (seven years ago)

Never heard the title track. Any good?

imago, Friday, 13 July 2018 08:56 (seven years ago)

Ah man I want more albums like this to cone out

imago, Friday, 13 July 2018 11:05 (seven years ago)

Come haha

imago, Friday, 13 July 2018 11:05 (seven years ago)

title track rules

flappy bird, Friday, 13 July 2018 16:29 (seven years ago)

you'll like it lj

princess of hell (BradNelson), Friday, 13 July 2018 16:39 (seven years ago)

stain of bricks goes dancing by your heaaaaaaad

princess of hell (BradNelson), Friday, 13 July 2018 16:39 (seven years ago)

I listened to it! The intro was especially cool haha

imago, Friday, 13 July 2018 16:49 (seven years ago)

I also listened to the album again twice

imago, Friday, 13 July 2018 16:51 (seven years ago)

seven years pass...

WILL THEY LEAVE US ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*enter fucking all-time bassline*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE bit

(btw it's WHO WILL FEED US THE WOOOOOOOOOOOMB)

lol how did both of you get this wrong? it's "will they feed us the womb"

Milica Bogdanović, Wednesday, 20 August 2025 00:25 (three weeks ago)


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